Colchicine is an alkaloid compound found in plant extracts that is used to treat gout, familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), pericarditis, Behçet's disease, and atrial fibrillation. Colchicine has also been used to treat amyloidosis, calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (pseudogout), cirrhosis of the liver, sarcoid arthritis, and inflammatory diseases. Colchicine is administered to patients as a solid oral dosage form, such as a tablet or capsule. A standard dosage of colchicine is typically administered to patients once or twice a day.
Colchicine has previously been shown to be unstable at room temperature in solution. An article published in Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy, 15(11), 1905-1909 (1989) by Habib, et. al., investigated the stability of colchicine and showed that there is photodegradation of colchicine in solution, especially in the presence of glycerin. Other additives, such as lithium carbonate, p-aminobenzoic acid, and uric acid, used in this study did not prevent the degradation of the colchicine, and furthermore, are not acceptable excipients for an oral solution.